Uganda. UPDATE ON THE BURUNDI REFUGEE RESPONSE. 18-24 MARCH 2016. HIGHLIGHTS. â« This week, a total of 231 Burundian re
KEY FIGURES
Uganda
23,461*
UPDATE ON THE BURUNDI REFUGEE RESPONSE
Number of registered and active Burundian refugees and asylum-seekers who have arrived in Uganda since November 2014 (As of 15 March 2016)
18-24 MARCH 2016
Further breakdown of the total number of Burundian refugees, according to settlements:
15,871 Refugees received in Nakivale Refugee Settlement
507
HIGHLIGHTS
This week, a total of 231 Burundian refugees sought safety and protection in Uganda, a decrease from last week’s 253. For the second week in a row, the number of new arrivals remained somewhat lower than the trends received of late however, it remains to be seen if this is something that will continue or if it is part of typical fluctuations seen previously. New arrivals continue to cite insecurity in Bujumbura, and in more recent developments in Kirundo and Cibitoke provinces. Refugees report militia groups committing acts of sexual assault, looting homes, murdering civilians and kidnapping youths as young as ten years old. In addition, refugees are reporting that schools located in areas with significant opposition support have been closed and that a number of radio stations have ceased to be operational.
Refugees received in Kyaka II Refugee Settlement
274 Refugees received in Oruchinga Refugee Settlement
86 Refugees received in Kisoro district
4,869 Urban refugees received in Kampala *statistics are provided by the Government of Uganda Office of the Prime Minister
PRIORITIES
A campaign in refugee settlements across the country has been launched to distribute more than quarter of a million mosquito nets donated by the US President’s Malaria Initiative.
A recently arrived Burundian refugee makes mud bricks for shelter construction in Ssaza village, Nakivale. ©UNHCR/S. Kulu
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UNHCR Uganda update of the Burundian Emergency
Protection Child Protection
In Nakivale, Best Interest Assessments were conducted by American Refugee Committee, in partnership with UNHCR, for two boys aged five and eight. The pair are living under foster care and the caregiver claimed that the boys had not received non-food items. American Refugee Committee have followed up to ensure they are provided with the support and assistance they require.
Persons with specific needs
In Nakivale, 14 persons with specific needs were assessed by American Refugee Committee, in partnership with UNHCR. 7 were elderly individuals who were provided with clothes and other non-food items, as well as being provided with support to construct new shelters by AIRD. Two unaccompanied children were help to register and began the process of tracking their parents. Four single mothers were provided with clothing and soap.
Education
In Nakivale, a total of 881 Burundian refugee children attended primary school education, a reduction compared to last week. This is reportedly due to parents keeping children at home in order to assist with domestic work. Windle Trust Uganda, in partnership with UNHCR, is working with parents in the local community to stress the importance children attending school. In Nakivale Secondary School, a total of 245 Burundian refugee children were in attendance, an increase from last week’s figure of 129. The increased attendance can be attributed to a verification exercise taking place at the school. Pupils not in attendance for the verification lose out on the possibility of receiving scholarship funding. Windle Trust Uganda, in partnership with UNHCR, is working with parents in the local community to stress the importance children attending school.
Health
In Nakivale, regular immunization of children against communicable diseases, as well as the provision of antenatal care for pregnant women, continues to be carried out at health facilities by Medical Teams International in partnership with UNHCR. In Nakivale, there was an increase in medical consultations this week. 1,232 consultations took place amongst the total refugee population including Burundian refugees, with the most common reason due to malaria. A recent survey by Medical Teams International, supported by UNHCR, found that less than 27% were effectively using longlasting insecticide treated mosquito nets. Medical Teams International and UNHCR plan to carry out community awareness campaigns to stress the importance of correctly using nets. In Kisoro, malaria is similarly the motivation for seeking medical treatment, though this is more to do with new arrivals having been exposed to mosquitos during their flight. In Kyaka II, 12,000 long-lasting insecticide treated mosquito nets were distributed and a community outreach campaign was carried out on the importance of using them effectively in order to combat malaria. In Nakivale, for the total refugee population, crude mortality rates were at 0%, within the UNHCR Emergency Standard of 75 per 1,000 people per month. Under five mortality was at 0% compared to the UNHCR Emergency
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) – www.unhcr.org
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UNHCR Uganda update of the Burundian Emergency
Standard of 1.5 per 1,000 per month. The number of community workers per refugee population was at 1:50, within Government of Uganda Ministry of Health standards.
Food Security and Nutrition
In Nakivale, Global Acute Malnutrition and Severe Acute Malnutrition rates rose slightly compared to the previous week from 0.53% to 1.12% and from 0.18% to 1.03% respectively however, these remain well within the UNHCR Emergency Standards of less than 10% for Global Acute Malnutrition and less than 2% for Severe Acute Malnutrition.
Water and Sanitation
In Nakivale, the provision of clean water was at 19.3 litres per person per day, within the UNHCR Emergency Standard of 15 litres per person per day. However, when broken down at a village level, some of the villages are receiving less than the required emergency standard. This is the result of a mechanical breakdown at Misiera and Base Camp water plants. American Refugee Committee, in partnership with UNHCR, is in the process of making the necessary repairs. In Nakivale, the proportion of latrines per household for the entire refugee population increased from 62.6% to 66.4% due to the construction of an additional 52 latrines in Kyeibale B and Misiera B villages.
Community Empowerment and Self-Reliance
In follow up to similar training provided last week in Kyaka II, Nsamizi Training Institute, together with UNHCR, trained 59 Burundian households in Nakivale on effective use of energy-saving mud stoves. The training was designed to help increase awareness about environmental protection. The mud stoves are 66% more efficient than the standard stoves and will help limit the number of trees that are cut down for firewood.
Working in partnership The Government of Uganda, through the Office of the Prime Minister and UNHCR are supported by:
For more information, please contact: Charlie Yaxley, Associate External Relations Officer,
[email protected], Tel: +256 (0) 776 720 045 Abdelrahman JABER, Associate Information Management Officer,
[email protected] , Tel: +256 (0)772 701057 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) – www.unhcr.org
3 Links: Burundi regional portal - Twitter – UNHCR Tracks: Welcome to New Bujumbura
